


bound to you

by commanderofraccoons



Category: Mean Girls (2004), Mean Girls - Richmond/Benjamin/Fey
Genre: Angst, Canon, Coming Out, Confessions, F/F, Fluff, Jealousy, Lack of Communication, Mutual Pining, Post canon, Pre Canon, Prompt Fill, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, background fetchen, little bit graphic because of the bus, tally the number of kisses i dare you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 02:10:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18650788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commanderofraccoons/pseuds/commanderofraccoons
Summary: She stared for a moment, blinking, wondering if the backwards appearance of the name in the mirror was simply confusing her. Regina looked down at it herself, eyes mentally tracing over the letters. There was no mistaking the name written on her body.Janis.orThe name of your soulmate appears on your thirteenth birthday.





	bound to you

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: soulmate au (like, words/tattoos, a timer, etc)
> 
> funny story-- i was actually already writing this when i got the prompt recently, so sorry if this is considered doing the prompts out of order. ps: this jumps around a little bit time-wise since it spans, like, seven years.

**2013**

 

It was a massive blur.

 

Every event that happened from the day had basically become one. Regina, in an attempt to start some sort of drama before her birthday party, had to publicly humiliate her. Why _her_? It wasn’t until more recently that Regina began acting this way, but Janis was never her target. They were equals.

 

Regina’s need for drama got out of hand quickly.

 

Her friend wasn’t actually part of the teasing that followed, but she was the reason it started. The scratched slur on her locker was the final straw, though, her eyes immediately welling up. She didn’t _have_ to take it this far; Regina could’ve halted this if she genuinely tried.

 

The weekend passed, and Janis managed to talk her mother into skipping on Monday.

 

By Tuesday, Janis was officially off the student roster and enrolled in art therapy.

 

* * *

 

The teen years were bound to change a person’s life, whether it be positively or negatively. Teen years brought on acne, first dates, driving, high school.

 

Your teens meant gaining the knowledge of your soulmate’s name.

 

At midnight on your thirteenth birthday, the name of your soulmate appears somewhere on your body.

 

Regina had practically been marking down the days. Thirteen was an important birthday in her mind, and she was making certain that it would be perfect. _11:58pm_ shone brightly from the clock across her room, and Regina hastily removed her jacket. In only a few minutes, she’d know her soulmate’s name. She briefly wondered if it would be that guy in their class, Kyle, who was just a little obsessed with her.

 

_11:59._

 

She’d tell everyone at her party in only hours who her soulmate was. No doubt they’d all ask, probably hoping that it’d be one of them. The idea of it triggered an eye roll, and Regina began rocking on the edge of her bed, still fixated on the clock.

 

Her party would be _the_ most talked about event for the year. Anyone who was anybody was going, and she knew her parents were going all out for it.

 

She ignored the pang in her chest at the thought of the one person who wouldn’t be there. Regina inwardly winced, knowing that was something she’d have to settle sooner or later. Maybe it’d be fine; she’d apologize on Monday, tell the others to lay off her, and it’d all go back to normal. Though Janis _did_ leave school early, and the rumor was that she wasn’t coming back-

 

_12:00._

 

Regina scrambled to her full length mirror, checking for any signs of a written name. Her arms were bare still, and nothing seemed to materialize on her legs, either. She frowned, turning her right calf around as much as she could in the mirror. Lifting the bottom of her shirt just a few inches, she noticed her stomach stayed the same as well; tugging it up a bit more, she saw the new cursive font written just underneath the side of her rib cage.

 

She stared for a moment, blinking, wondering if the backwards appearance of the name in the mirror was simply confusing her. Regina looked down at it herself, eyes mentally tracing over the letters. There was no mistaking the name written on her body.

 

_Janis._

 

Well, she’d never… no, that made no sense. That _couldn’t_ be her soulmate. It’s not like she knew another Janis; the name wasn’t exactly popular, especially for people around Regina’s age.

 

This could _not_ be happening.

 

Regina dropped her shirt, the material pooling back to its original spot below her hips. She had an impulse to pace but stayed still, staring at the area of her new tattoo through the mirror. It couldn’t be seen with the white shirt on, and she was grateful. There was no way she could openly go around showing people this. Not after what she just spread about Janis.

 

She’d have to lie. Janis didn’t turn thirteen for another few months, but Regina doubted this would be requited. It was something she heard of before— soulmates not matching with each other. To her, it didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Wasn’t the purpose of soulmates to connect people who were paired together? Your other half?

 

Regina deeply sighed, anguish welling in the pit of her stomach. Her mother would be asking what her soulmate’s name was tomorrow morning. She could tell her a random guy’s name to throw her off, or maybe just say nothing. Ignore her.

 

The fact of the matter was that her soulmate was apparently her best friend. Her best friend who wasn’t currently speaking to her. Her best friend whose relationship she might’ve shattered this week beyond repair— all because of her own need for drama. To start something. To get people talking.

 

Her eyes were watering now, wondering if she should go to Janis about this. Isn’t this what people were bullying her for? Regina suddenly thought about their confrontation before school only a few days ago, and she… why was _that_ what she picked? It wasn’t supposed to become the situation it turned into, but maybe it had more weight behind it than Regina originally realized.

 

Maybe… maybe Regina _wanted_ Janis to be gay.

 

The thought made her heart skip a beat, and her stomach was becoming more upset by the minute. She stumbled back to settle on her bed, tears freely falling down her cheeks at this point. Her breath was uneven, and her hand was picking at something on the corner of her comforter.

 

This would all turn out the way she wanted it. These things always did.

 

Her soulmate may not be who she thought it would be, but the idea of it wasn’t exactly repulsive. Not at all, really. She’d known Janis forever; no one knew her better than Janis, and it made sense. How often did people fall in love with their childhood best friend? She smiled through her tears, wiping some of the wetness from her face.

 

Regina needed to pull it together. Tomorrow morning, most of North Shore would be standing on her doorstep, ready to celebrate her birthday. She’d put the face she needed on, play happily with the rest of them, and tell _no one_ about her soulmate. Keep it private. It’d leave more people dying to know that way, too. She touched the bottom of her palms to her eyes, stopping any more tears from escaping.

 

Regina George wasn’t crying herself to sleep on her thirteenth birthday.

 

* * *

 

Janis dabbed at the paint smear to the left of her canvas, frowning. She had too much red on her brush earlier, and the result might’ve ruined what she was working on. It wasn’t an assignment, at least. She could always just scrap it and start all over again.

 

She glanced at the time briefly, doing a double take when she realized it was well past midnight. It was officially her birthday.

 

Of course she knew what that meant.

 

But did she want to know her soulmate’s name? What if it was something extremely common? Would she even be able to find them then?

 

Her sleeves had been rolled up to her elbows to avoid paint, and nothing seemed different. There was a tingling sensation just above her stomach, and Janis knew immediately that the name was there. She breathed a sigh of relief before even checking— she actually did have a soulmate.

 

After examining the area below her rib cage, Janis wished she never looked. She flinched seeing her name; the cruel irony of it wasn’t lost on her. Eighth grade graduation happened only recently, and Janis most definitely wasn’t in attendance, opting to be homeschooled for the latter half of the year. If she played her cards right, then she’d also be missing out on North Shore for her freshman year. Even if the teasing would’ve died down by now, she didn’t want to be around any of that.

 

Especially with this.

 

It made her feel so wrong. Like… like what Regina said about her was true. That she was _predatory_ with her.

 

But she wasn’t. No, she definitely wasn’t. Janis didn’t even think about her sexuality until one was forced on her by their entire class— one that she eventually embraced as her own.

 

Janis knew how long ago Regina’s birthday was now. She remembered sitting up until midnight that night, fighting the urge to message her happy birthday and pry about her soulmate. They always said they’d be the first person to tell each other about their soulmates.

 

But the night passed, and Janis didn’t get a call. Not even a message. Then the day came, and Regina had a party that ended up all over social media. Janis swore she saw every picture.

 

So if Janis’s soulmate was Regina, then who was hers?

 

That was just her luck. She actually did end up with a soulmate— she was worried she’d end up being part of the few people in the world without one— but she wasn’t her soulmate in return.

 

Regina surely would’ve said something to her about it. She wouldn’t have let Janis be treated the way she was after the incident. The incident wouldn’t have even _happened_ if she was Regina’s soulmate.

 

No, she was meant to be with a girl who was meant to be with someone else.

 

She let her shirt drop, and she herself dropped onto her bed. This was arguably the cruelest joke the universe had ever played on her. Months ago, this would’ve been something so joyful, so wonderfully possible. To have a soulmate she was already incredibly close to. One that she could easily love.

 

But that person became the origin of a lot of Janis’s current problems. The easel placed by her bedroom window was only there because of Regina George. Art therapy required her to have one at home, just in case she needed to get her emotions out at a moment’s notice.

 

She’d tell her mother. Her mother would pity her for it and let her stay homeschooled for next year. She couldn’t go back to that, to seeing _her_ daily. Not now that she knew Regina was her soulmate and had absolutely no chance with her.

 

She closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing as she tried relaxing into her bed. Try as she might, sleep didn’t come for Janis that night.

 

* * *

 

**2017/2018**

 

The arrival of Cady turned everything on its head. It’s true that Janis fantasized about getting her revenge on Regina for years now, and the opportunity finally presented itself.

 

Was she ignoring any guilt she might be feeling for essentially trying to ruin her soulmate’s life? Absolutely.

 

She assured herself it wasn’t a big deal. It’s not like she was even Regina’s soulmate, anyway. Even if they succeeded, Janis doubted that it’d get traced back to her. Cady would be the one taking the fall, whether she knew that or not.

 

“We can still stop while we’re ahead.” Damian, somehow guessing her thoughts, plopped down next to her on her couch, putting his feet up on the worn ottoman. “I don’t know if we should go any further than the spying.”

 

Janis rolled her eyes, hoping any worry from before had successfully disappeared. “She’s not gonna find out. Caddy just needs to learn enough to get by.”

 

Damian’s brows furrowed, openly scrutinizing her. “We’re really throwing her to the wolves. You realize that, right?” He sighed. “Or lions, I guess, if you go by whatever she called her.”

 

“Apex predator,” Janis mumbled, turning away from him, pretending to pay attention to the old Hollywood movie on her TV.

 

He wasn’t deterred, though, his full attention still on the side of her face. “You don’t actually hate her, do you?” She ignored him. “Janis, she’s your soulmate,” he lowered his tone purposely, knowing it’d get a reaction.

 

“I don’t know, dude. I really love Regina King’s movies.”

 

He dramatically laid his back on the back of the couch, loudly sighing. “ _Janis_.”

 

She couldn’t help the small smile at hearing her best friend’s whine.

 

“We’re not trying to kill her, okay?” She peeked over at him, ignoring his analyzing eyes. “No one’s gonna get hurt.”

 

Damian said nothing, and Janis just assumed he was watching the musical number happening on the screen. He’s the one who picked the movie, after all.

 

“When are you just going to admit you wanna know how Regina’s doing?”

 

Janis rolled her eyes, the pain in her chest coming back full force at his comment. “Shut up.”

 

“Oh, really? _Hang out with them, Caddy. Tell us all the dumb stuff they do_ ,” he— very poorly— tried mimicking her. “Or whatever you said.”

 

“Yeah, that’s definitely not what I said.” She lightly shoved him, and Damian, milking it, rolled off the couch and onto the floor.

 

“Ow!”

 

Janis rolled her eyes again, and a laugh was sitting in the back of her throat. “How about we drop it for now, okay?” He made no move to agree but stayed quiet; Janis took it as a win. “So, uh, is that really your best impression of me, Mr. Actor?”

 

The glare he sent her way, along with the immediate sense to prove himself, made for a very interesting movie night for the two of them.

 

Janis personally crowned herself victor after doing part of his _Anything Goes_ tap number in only her socks.

 

* * *

 

“We never fully undress around each other,” Regina heard Gretchen whisper to Cady but pretended not to hear her.

 

_Subtle_. She rolled her eyes, smoothing down the shirt she held out in front of her. There were a lot of ways Cady could take that, she supposed. Their spiel about Janis in the Burn Book the other day probably had her thinking of other things, anyway.

 

Regina never completely stripped in front of Gretchen and Karen, but it wasn’t for the reason Cady was most likely thinking. The exact opposite, really. Janis’s name could be clearly seen underneath her rib cage, and Regina knew that Gretchen’s motor mouth would tell everyone in the tri-state area about it if she actually knew. Her soulmate was a secret, though, at this point, most of their grade simply believed Regina didn’t have one.

 

It was an unspoken rule among them, but Regina knew Gretchen and Karen only followed along because of their own soulmate marks— each other’s names.

 

Regina placed the hanger back on the rack, moving downward in her closet. The others were still mumbling somewhere behind her, but she had completely stopped paying attention. Gretchen and Karen had to truly believe she was blind if they thought she couldn’t see right through them; they’d probably been sneaking around together since freshman year.

 

“Right, Regina?” She heard Gretchen speak up, and from her frazzled tone, it must not have been the first time she called out to her. Though Gretchen tended to sound like that all the time, anyway.

 

“Wouldn’t this look better with a skirt?” Regina ignored her, pulling a green top from the rack to hold out in front of her. She watched several emotions play across Gretchen’s face, her mouth closing and opening a number of times before she was able to compose herself.

 

“Oh, yeah! Yeah, it definitely would, Regina!”

 

She turned her back to them again, placing the shirt back on the rack. It was a trick question, of course. Gretchen knew she had a matching skirt for it. The girl must’ve gotten her point, though, since she moved the discussion onto the lunch ladies and their hair nets.

 

* * *

 

“Oh, it’s her dream come true. Diving into a big pile of girls.”

 

The words _stung_. She let them sink in for a moment— the chuckles from the crowd egging her anger on. Even Sonja, who was _openly gay_ , was trying to stifle her laughter.

 

Janis saw red.

 

She let thoughts she’d been holding in for years finally come out. Everything she was saying was completely directed to Regina, holding eye contact with her for the majority of the time. Some of it applied to Cady, as well, but her tingling soulmate mark underneath her shirt wasn’t allowing her to think about anyone but Regina.

 

Several things were happening at once. Janis was being carried around by the people who laughed at her only moments before, Regina stormed out of the gym, Cady followed her, Gretchen and Karen looked beyond lost, and Damian trailed closely behind Janis, as if afraid she’d be dropped.

 

She was put down once they got outside, and she felt Damian’s hand protectively find the small of her back. He’d no doubt have a long talk with her about everything that happened. Janis really couldn’t be more grateful for him.

 

She leaned back into him, watching Regina and Cady argue in the middle of the street. It was satisfying, in a way. The two people she was furious with were going at each other’s throats: well, it looked more like Regina was going for Cady’s, who was possibly about to start crying.

 

It felt _good_. This was the comeuppance she was looking for.

 

Like everything else in her life, it couldn’t last.

 

Cady had taken several steps back, the bus screeching to a halt not two hundred feet from Regina’s body. People were crowding around her, and Janis couldn’t tell if the girl was conscious, or even alive. She could make out her limp legs to the left of Dawn Schweitzer’s shoulder, and the only sound she heard was the wailing of Mrs. George.

 

There was a sharp pain under her rib cage, and Janis gritted her teeth. It only lasted for a moment or two before it turned cold, almost numb.

 

“Damian,” she croaked, and his arms immediately pulled her into a hug. Nothing needed to be said between them; he was the only one who really knew what was going through her head.

 

“It’s okay.” It was a lie. It was an obvious lie, but it was what she needed to hear.

 

* * *

 

“You should try taking a bath.”

 

Regina groaned, and not for the first time, cursed the spinal halo keeping her from rolling over.

 

“Yeah, we can get you a new hospital… shirt,” Karen added, bright smile faltering at her loss of words.

 

“It’s a gown, sweetie,” Gretchen comforted her with a squeeze of a hand before sitting on the corner of Regina’s hospital bed. “If you’re not comfortable with us helping you, then I can go get a nurse. Plus your mom’s still here.”

 

“No, not her, please. We just had our first conversation where I wasn’t drugged out of my mind.” Regina closed her eyes, hoping both Gretchen and Karen would disappear when she opened them again.

 

“Wait, did something happen?” Karen asked, and Regina could hear the frown in her voice. “She didn’t seem upset or anything when we saw her.”

 

“It was just… draining,” Regina settled on, slowly allowing her eyelids to open back up again. They obviously weren’t planning on leaving any time soon.

 

“Did you want a nurse then?” Gretchen pushed, and, in another situation, Regina would’ve respected the perseverance. Now, with her spinal halo digging into the back of her neck and her pain medication doing nothing, she considered shoving her off the bed. If it wouldn’t have bothered her back, she probably would’ve tried it.

 

“Fine,” she grumbled, and Karen only had to make eye contact with Gretchen before she moved into the hallway to try finding someone. Regina considered closing her eyes again— she’d rather be alone with Karen than Gretchen at this point.

 

“So I’m gonna move up your bed, okay? Do you need help sitting up?”

 

“No.” Regina tried moving forward and stopped quickly, harsh pain shooting down her spine. Her face must’ve betrayed her, if Gretchen’s gasp said anything.

 

“Wait, here, let me help you.” She didn’t fight her off, Gretchen grabbing onto her elbow and managing to get her legs over the side of her bed. “Guess I didn’t have to bring the bed up.”

 

The back of her neck throbbed in response, and Regina pushed down a wave of nausea at the pain. If she was about to be sponge bathed like this, then she should at least ask to be sedated. _Fucking humiliating_.

 

“Oh, sorry, your gown.” Gretchen’s hand moved forward again, and Regina simply didn’t have the energy to stop her. Sitting up moved her hospital gown more toward the front, exposing her entire back and side. She shut her eyes, knowing full well what Gretchen was about to see. Regina should’ve been wearing a shirt underneath it, but she was just… so _bruised_ ; she needed to let her skin breathe.

 

She expected to hear her same gasp from earlier, but all she heard was the girl’s steady breathing. Gretchen’s fingertips gently brushed against the lettering, and the touch alone had Regina holding back tears.

 

“Regina.”

 

She ignored it, closing her eyes tighter.

 

“Regina.”

 

“Okay, so,” Karen interrupted, and Regina swore she heard her bump into something. “The lady said there’s a chair you can sit on in there, and— oh! Why are you crying?”

 

Regina opened her eyes, curiosity getting the better of her. The motion caused a tear to escape her right eye, and she hurriedly wiped it from her cheek. Karen, oblivious to physical boundaries, sat herself down next to her and pulled her into a hug. She tried not to flinch at the girl’s hands touching her bare back.

 

“Be careful with her,” Gretchen, who had taken a step back, lightly scolded, but she didn’t seem overly concerned about Karen. She was still very much fixated on the name on Regina’s side.

 

Karen broke the hug and instinctively turned to Gretchen. Following her gaze, she found what the girl was so distracted by. Regina noticed her expression didn’t change all that much.

 

“So that’s your…” Gretchen trailed off, allowing the silence to finish her sentence.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“That’s almost where my one for Gretchen is.” Karen pointed to her own side, and Gretchen’s eyes comically widened at her words.

 

“Wait, no, um,” Gretchen fumbled, and Karen seemed to realize what she just accidentally revealed. “What she means to say-“

 

“Yeah, I already know,” Regina cut her off, not particularly in the mood to hear her make unneeded excuses. She pulled the hospital gown fabric back, breathing a little easier with the name covered.

 

“What?”

 

“I’ve known for years.” She would’ve shrugged if she were able to. “Neither of you were subtle.”

 

Gretchen looked as if she slapped her, while Karen seemed almost apologetic.

 

“Don’t worry about it.” Regina sighed, the pain from earlier finally starting to dull. “I’m glad you guys, like, have each other or whatever.”

 

“Does Janis know?” Karen managed to find her words, tone filled with more hope than what Regina was used to.

 

“With everything she said in the gym,” Gretchen stopped gaping like a fish for a moment to speak, “and the entire thing with Cady… she doesn’t know, does she?”

 

Regina brought a hand up to her face, lightly rubbing it against her forehead. “She doesn’t.” Her next words weren’t ones she’d never said out loud before, but they came out before she could stop them. “But I’m not hers, so it doesn’t matter.”

 

Karen’s face visibly dropped, and the sight was genuinely a bit heartbreaking to see. She seemingly understood exactly what Regina meant but didn’t have a response to it.

 

“You mean,” Gretchen started, sitting down angled on the other side of Regina. “It’s not mutual?”

 

She wished she could just nod her head. The idea of saying yes to that— in front of two people— made her want to lie right back down. Fuck the bath. “There’s no way I’m hers.”

 

“But you don’t know that for sure?” Gretchen frowned.

 

“None of this would’ve happened.”

 

“Well,” Karen laid a hand on her shoulder, and Regina resisted the urge to wince. “She probably just thinks you aren’t hers. Maybe that’s why she did it.”

 

Regina blinked, preparing to tell Karen not to talk about things she didn’t understand. But she considered her words for a moment, and Gretchen was thinking on it, too, it seemed.

 

“Karen, you might actually be a genius,” Gretchen complimented, and the girl’s face lit up. “You would’ve gotten it at thirteen, so, like, think of it from her point of view.”

 

“There was your party,” Karen continued for her, “and you never reached out or anything. Like she’s thinking you would’ve said something if you got her name on you.”

 

“Which, like, why _didn’t_ you?” Gretchen asked, and Regina swore it sounded a little accusatory.

 

_They’re practically finishing each other’s sentences._

 

She should’ve kept her mouth shut about knowing; she had a feeling this would become the new norm for them.

 

“I don’t know, Gretchen, maybe because I turned the entire school against her for being a lesbian, which, I didn’t even actually know at the time. And then all of a sudden she was my soulmate, and she hated me. So I never got around to telling her, _no_.”

 

Gretchen’s entire frame seemed to shrink at Regina’s tone, and she couldn’t help but feel a semblance of guilt. _She was only trying to help_. She was only ever trying to help, and Regina treated her like shit.

 

“That’s not— that isn’t how I meant to say it, sorry.” She wasn’t high enough for this. “I just had this conversation with my mom like an hour ago, alright? I’m just on edge.”

 

“About Janis?” Karen asked a bit distractedly, focusing more on Gretchen than her.

 

“She didn’t know about it, either. No one did.” She dropped her hand back into her lap. “I guess she saw it the day they brought me into the hospital. Between surgeries, I think.”

 

“She wasn’t supportive?” Gretchen asked, more composed now. Regina actually apologizing and Karen’s presence must’ve helped.

 

“She just,” Regina paused, remembering how the confession and the pain medication made her sob into her mother’s chest. She wouldn’t be able to look her in the eye for a while. “She decided to finally ask me about it today. I mean, she had a lot of questions.”

 

“But she was okay with it being,” Gretchen froze, not wanting to actually say the name, “her?”

 

Regina rolled her eyes. “Yeah, she’s always loved Janis.”

 

“Well, I think you’re Janis’s soulmate,” Karen affirmed, effectively changing the subject and standing up from the bed. “And you need to tell her.”

 

“Karen-“

 

“Maybe you should tell her,” Gretchen defended, standing up beside Karen. “She’s been looking kinda upset at school. I bet she feels bad.”

 

“Probably because I didn’t die.”

 

“Regina!” Gretchen’s eyes widened, and Karen’s frown deepened. She really should’ve left them off her visitation list.

 

“You heard everything she said in the gym.” Regina saw a nurse pass by her door rather quickly, and she hoped it wasn’t the one coming to bathe her. “She doesn’t give a fuck about me, and why should she?”

 

“You just need to talk to her.” Karen was adamant, and the thought unnerved her. She’d never been mentally present enough to be passionate about anything.

 

“She’ll probably be at Spring Fling,” Gretchen added. “Aren’t you still trying to go?”

 

“Yeah, but I have to go in this.” She didn’t motion to anything— they should know what she meant. “I might try there, I guess.”

 

“I think she’s angrier at Cady right now.”

 

She didn’t get to respond to that; the same nurse from earlier, who had obviously been stalling, knocked in the doorway, and both Gretchen and Karen moved out of Regina’s way. The woman said nothing, however, and Gretchen seemed to take the hint before Karen did.

 

“Well, I guess we’re gonna take off then.”

 

“We are?”

 

Gretchen smiled at Karen before she leaned over to lightly hug Regina. “The halo might give you some sympathy points.”

 

Regina rolled her eyes, and Karen embraced her from the other side. She didn’t return either of their hugs, a wave of dread going through her as she met the nurse’s eyes.

 

“Bye.”

 

“We’ll come back tomorrow.” Karen grinned, pressing a sloppy kiss to Regina’s cheek, gaining a small smile from her.

 

“Can’t wait.”

 

They both waved, walking around the woman and out the door. In the past few weeks, they managed to mend their friendship— at least a little. Regina suspected they were only acting the way they were because they felt guilty. Gretchen was right; the spinal halo could earn her some serious pity points.

 

But, for once, she didn’t want to use it to her advantage. If she were going to do it right— by Gretchen, Karen, _and_ Janis— then she’d have to do it honestly.

 

The nurse stepped forward almost menacingly, and the humiliation from earlier came back full force. She couldn’t wait until she was healed from this.

 

“Let’s get this over with.”

 

* * *

 

Spring Fling came and went but not without its changes. Cady dropped her act, reverted back to her usual nerd self, won Spring Fling queen, and awarded pieces of the crown to everyone.

 

School afterward became a lot more relaxing. No one seemed to be actively trying to ruin anyone else’s life, people stuck to their own friend groups— and Janis’s happened to expand.

 

Damian was still there, of course. Cady joined again, along with Aaron, and both Gretchen and Karen came with them. Regina stopped by occasionally, too, but she stayed more to herself. She hadn’t really offered Janis anything other than attempted nods and smiles that looked much more like grimaces.

 

But that didn’t deter her— well, it didn’t deter Damian. He’d been on her since before Spring Fling about talking to Regina, and he’d only been pushed more when Cady informed them of Regina’s goal to become a better person. They didn’t have to start dating immediately, he assured her.

 

_Let her prove herself._

 

_Don’t do anything until you’re comfortable._

 

_Just tell her_.

 

He refused to believe her when she’d tell him that it wasn’t requited.

 

Which is why she was walking through the George’s foyer, more massive than ever, while Damian introduced himself to Regina’s little sister, Kylie. He said he’d stay down there and keep himself occupied, and with a glance in his direction, she didn’t doubt that he was about to come out of this with a new friend.

 

Regina’s mother told her she was up in her room, and Janis said she’d just show herself the way. She almost knocked on Regina’s old childhood bedroom— the one they’d spend hours in— before she remembered Cady telling her that she was now in the master. Janis held back an eye roll, figuring that the extra space was probably needed with her injury.

 

She lightly knocked on the door, silently asking herself why she was even there. This wouldn’t go over well, even if Regina had been a lot easier to be around recently. During Spring Fling, she’d offered her an apology, though she’d been on a heavy dose of drugs at the time. It wasn’t enough, of course, but she hadn’t done anything to antagonize her since.

 

And maybe Janis felt bad for the bus. Just a little, anyway.

 

A faint “come in!” came from the other side of the door, and, schooling her expression, Janis ventured into a possible hell pit.

 

Regina was sitting up on her bed, laptop resting on her thighs, spinal halo firmly in place. It surprised Janis every time she saw it, even though it wasn’t planned to come off until sometime in the summer.

 

_Why the_ fuck _was she here again?_

 

Then she remembered Damian’s pleading eyes and supportive words. Even if it doesn’t work out, at least she’d know. At least they would’ve had this conversation.

 

Regina’s expression betrayed nothing, of course, but Janis swore her eyes flickered with something akin to surprise.

 

“Oh, hey, what are you doing here?” She closed her laptop, pushing it to the side of her bed. “Not that you’re, like, not welcome or whatever, but like-“

 

“It’s cool.” She waved her off as Regina stood up from her bed. “Your mom, uh, very enthusiastically let me in.”

 

Regina snorted, and Janis felt her eyebrows practically shoot up to her hairline. “Yeah, I bet she did.” She plopped down— somehow gracefully— into the pink bean bag chair next to her vanity, keeping her neck up straight.

 

“Doesn’t that hurt your back?”

 

She attempted what looked like a shrug. “After a while, yeah, but I’m good.”

 

Janis stood awkwardly next to Regina’s bed, the plush comforter reminding her of Regina’s old room. Her decor barely changed in the last three years— other than Janis missing from her pictures all around the walls.

 

“You can sit.”

 

There were no other chairs nearby, most of them being on other sides of the room. She sat on a corner of the bed, fighting the urge to lift her legs off the floor and bring her knees up to her chest. Regina was just to her left, and the girl hadn’t taken her eyes off Janis since she walked into her room.

 

“Not that I mind or anything,” she started, fingers fiddling with each other in her lap, “but why are you here?”

 

She was hoping to last a few more minutes before that question came up. Leave it to Regina to get to the point.

 

“Well, Damian’s downstairs playing with Kylie.” _Start it strong. The rejection might be nicer this way._ “And I guess it felt like we needed to talk.”

 

“Oh.” She almost seemed to slump down into her chair. “I know I shouldn’t have apologized to you when I was high, but it was Spring Fling, and the night was going really well, and I needed to-“

 

“Hey, woah, relax.” She held up her hands almost defensively. “It’s kinda about the apology. But, like, not really?”

 

Regina smoothly lifted her right brow, lips forming into a straight line. “What the hell does that mean, Janis?”

 

“Well, like,” she dropped her hands to the top of her thighs, and a wave of heat washed over her body. Her stomach flipped nervously, and Janis began gnawing on her bottom lip.

 

Regina was staring at her oddly, and Janis’s hot flash worsened when the girl managed to get herself out of the chair. She walked toward Janis, standing in front of her with the same expression on her face.

 

“Wait, what are you-“ Janis stopped, Regina lifting the bottom of her shirt up above her belly button. “Dude, what-“

 

She ignored her, keeping eye contact as she lifted the shirt just under her breasts. Janis refused to break away from Regina’s eyes, which had softened considerably.

 

“You can look.”

 

She swallowed harshly, the colorful bruises across her stomach taking her aback for a moment. It’d been a few weeks now, but evidently Regina was still trying to heal. Some of the skin was yellowed, while other parts were still dark blue. She’d been held in the hospital a little longer because the doctors feared for internal bleeding— she could see why. Janis knew the bruises weren’t the reason Regina asked her to look, however, as the black letters to the right caught her eye.

 

Her own name stood out against the myriad of different colors against her skin. It’d be a beautiful canvas painting, if Janis did it properly. She made a note to do it soon.

 

It was… exactly where hers was. Of Regina’s name.

 

God, Damian was _right_. It was mutual. She wasn’t part of the group of people with an unrequited soulmate.

 

“I should’ve told you when it showed up, I know.” Her tone was shaky, and Janis broke away from the sight of her name on Regina’s skin to see the girl’s watering eyes. “I was going to on Monday, but you never showed.” Regina let go of the fabric, shirt dropping back down over her stomach. “You didn’t come back for another year.”

 

“The party-“

 

“Was terrible for me. I cried all day until the first person got here.”

 

She didn’t really know what to say to that. The apologies had been said already, and Janis knew the appearance of her name on Regina that day must’ve hurt. But Janis had been through her fair share of hardships, too. Maybe not all of it was Regina’s fault, but she had at least taken the blame for it.

 

“Did I read that wrong?” Regina’s eyes seemed a little panicked now. “You looked nervous, and I know Gretchen probably let it slip to people that you were my soulmate, so I just figured-“

 

“No, you were right.” Regina’s form was shaking a little, though Janis wasn’t sure if that was from nerves or having to stand the way she was. “I just wanted to talk to you about it.”

 

Regina sighed, the softness from earlier fading away almost completely. “It won’t be a problem, okay? Whoever yours is, of course you should be with her. I don’t need coddled.”

 

Janis froze, and her eyes dropped back to where Regina’s mark was underneath her shirt. _She doesn’t know_. When Janis agreed with Damian to visit Regina, there was a part of her that knew she’d have to show her. She’d been expecting to reveal her own soulmate mark, not for Regina to expose hers. But never in her realm of possibilities did she think Regina would assume it wasn’t requited if she had Janis as her soulmate. It made a certain sense— and it’s what she thought herself until a few minutes ago— but it wasn’t what she figured for Regina.

 

She made a decision then— the same decision she unknowingly made while walking through the foyer. Janis stood up from her position on the bed, and Regina’s eyes flashed with worry, taking a step back from her. Like Regina did, she hesitantly raised the fabric of her shirt, feeling more self conscious than ever. For the first time, Janis cursed the location of their soulmate mark. It was inconspicuous enough for them not to get caught, but it was in an area she wasn’t entirely comfortable with showing. If Regina could do it while still recovering, then Janis could, too.

 

Regina moved back another few inches, her head not being able to bend down and see it. Her posture had stiffened— more than usual from the spinal halo— and her expression once again became unreadable.

 

“You’re mine, too.” She managed, voice sounding breathier than she’d ever heard it.

 

“When I got mine, after everything that happened with us, I just- I don’t know-“ She pulled her shirt back down, Regina’s gaze fixated back on her face. “I just figured you couldn’t possibly be mine. That you would’ve told me after your party.”

 

“And you didn’t come back until sophomore year.” She pursed her lips. “Neither of us really said anything.”

 

“I should’ve told you before.”

 

Regina looked alarmed and made a motion as if shaking her head. “No, no, that would’ve been stupid.” She stepped away from her, making her way back over to her vanity. “Before the bus, Janis, who knows what I would’ve done.” Fiddling with something near the mirror, she didn’t turn around. “I was just… really lonely. Unhappy with myself. Karen somehow was the only one who could really see that,” she chuckled.

 

“Sounds like Karen.” Regina kept her back to her, but Janis didn’t want her to stop talking. “You, um, you mentioned Gretchen telling people about me.” Her tone went up toward the end of the sentence, phrasing it as more of a question. It got the response she hoped for, as Regina finally turned back around to face her.

 

“Her and Karen found out in the hospital after my mom did.” Regina crossed her arms over her chest, leaning her back against the vanity. “Gretchen doesn’t mean to most of the time, but she tells people things they don’t need to know.”

 

“That sucks.” Janis considered going over to her but stayed put instead. “I know what it’s like to have people spread things about you without your permission.”

 

Regina visibly winced, and Janis wished for a brief moment that she would’ve held her tongue. It only lasted for a few quick seconds— the flash of guilt on Regina’s face feeling like a sweeter revenge than anything she ever pulled with Damian and Cady.

 

“Janis.”

 

“I know you’re sorry.”

 

“We should talk about it more one day,” Regina decided. “Not today, I know, but there’s a lot I think we haven’t covered.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Regina frowned, and Janis was surprised she felt like comforting her. It’s true things had changed between them since Spring Fling, and the path they were on was much better than before, but they weren’t all the way there yet.

 

“It’s kinda telling that we both immediately thought we weren’t each other’s soulmates.”

 

Janis nodded, and Regina let her arms fall back to her sides, resting them on the top of her vanity chair. “We both should’ve done things differently.”

 

The words had more weight behind them than Janis originally meant. Regina seemed to understand it, too, and neither of them said anything for a long time. No sound was coming from inside the room, but Janis thought she heard Damian’s laugh echo from downstairs.

 

“So what about now?”

 

Janis let out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding. Regina wanted a now for them? There _could_ be a now for them?

 

“Really?”

 

“Well, yeah.” Regina sighed. “I mean, we’re soulmates. It’s cool if you need time, like, I get it. I probably need some, too.”

 

“You actually wanna date me?” She shook her head, the hot flashes from earlier still persisting. “You, _Regina George_ , wanna be with me?”

 

“I really think I needed the bus to happen.” Her tone had dropped lower than Janis ever heard it. “I couldn’t keep going on like that. Don’t get me wrong, it was amazing.” She cracked a smile. “But I was pretty miserable, and no one could see it.”

 

“So what are you saying?”

 

Regina blinked, pulling herself off her vanity. She kept her distance from Janis, not coming in close like she did before. “I never thought I’d have the chance with you. Not really. Do I even have it now?”

 

Janis said nothing, but Regina kept going.

 

“Yeah, well, I’m willing to work for it. If it takes years for you to forgive me, then… then I guess that’s what it’ll take. We’re supposed to be destined for each other or some shit, I don’t know.” Regina‘s brows furrowed, lips pulling down into another frown. “Jesus, Janis, please say something.”

 

“Years?” She stepped toward her, and Regina stood her ground. “You’d wait years for me get my shit together?”

 

“I’ve been told I’m kinda ambitious.”

 

Janis snorted, and a ghost of a smirk formed on Regina’s lips. “I don’t know if it’s the right time for us,” she admitted, looking away from Regina’s reaction. “Like I didn’t even know you were my soulmate until just now. It’s gonna take some time.”

 

“Yeah, I get it.”

 

“So we’ll let it sink in, probably… probably talk a little more about everything.”

 

“Sure.”

 

“And maybe tell our friends? I don’t know if we should before we figure everything out, but-“

 

“Janis.”

 

“But they should probably know we’re each other’s soulmates. Maybe?”

 

“Janis.”

 

“And I know you didn’t mean for everything to happen in eighth grade. You just didn’t stop it, and I’m coming to terms with th-“

 

“ _Janis!_ ”

 

She breathed in, lungs feeling a lot less strained than they did a few moments before. “Yeah?”

 

“We don’t have to do all of that right now,” she comforted, and Janis wondered if she’d be reaching out to her touch her right now if the situation were different. “One thing at a time.”

 

She nodded, meeting Regina’s eyes again, finding only warmth there. “Yeah, okay. So you’re my soulmate.”

 

Regina smiled. “And you’re mine.”

 

The words triggered a fluttering sensation in her stomach— different than the nervous one from earlier. She knew Regina was referring to her as her soulmate but calling her _mine_ inwardly did something else to her. Maybe it wouldn’t take that long for them.

 

“We’ll figure it out, right?”

 

“We’ll figure it out.”

 

* * *

 

**2020**

 

“Alright, don’t get pissy. I know you asked for thin mints, but the little girl was selling samoas, too, so I just got both instead of two thin mint boxes.” Janis threw them near Regina, who was curled up in several blankets on their bed.

 

Regina faux-pouted, and Janis immediately kissed it away.

 

“I’ll forgive your indiscretion just this once.”

 

Janis rolled her eyes, wrapped her arms around Regina, and gently fell back into their bed.

 

“Only because you know I’ll eat samoas.” Regina continued, snuggling into Janis.

 

“You’d eat an entire loaf of bread if I brought it home for you.”

 

“Mhm.” She leaned into Janis, soaking up her warmth. It was pure contentment, despite the pain throughout most of her body. “Thank you for getting them for me, baby.”

 

“Your period cravings are so weird.” She placed her hand over the most tender area of her stomach and kissed her temple. “Last month was drumsticks from, like, every chicken place around campus. Before that, I think it was that really expensive champagne that you wan-“

 

“I get it.” She pressed a kiss to her lips again. “You’re the best. Now, can you please open me my thin mints?”

 

Both boxes were uncomfortably lodged between their bodies, and Janis knew Regina was bound to complain about it until they were moved. Especially if they ended up falling through the crack between the two mattresses that they shoved together.

 

“You have hands.”

 

Regina gave her that same exaggerated pout from before and fidgeted around until she got a hold of the box— and threw the box of samoas toward the end of their bed. Janis knew she was only kidding; if she moved her arms from rubbing her stomach right now, Regina would probably kick her from their dorm.

 

“Whatever.” She ripped the top of the box off, plunging her hand into it immediately. Regina only pulled one cookie out, which was definitely unusual for her, and held it up to Janis’s closed lips. “You can have the first one.”

 

Janis pulled her head away so the cookie wasn’t touching her and shot her a surprised look. “You’re sharing something?”

 

“Oh, shut up. You deserve it.”

 

Janis smiled and let Regina feed it to her. If it wasn’t only the first day into the girl’s period, she probably would’ve made a joke of pretending to bite her fingers. “Thank you,” she tried saying around a mouthful of thin mint, earning a scrunched up nose from Regina.

 

“Gross.”

 

“Gross?” She leaned forward, planting several kisses on Regina’s face, with the thin mint still very much inside her mouth.

 

“Ew,” Regina groaned, halfheartedly pushing her girlfriend away. “Janis,” She whined as she pecked her close to her mouth. “That’s so gross.”

 

“You really wanted thin mints.” She finally swallowed, pulling her in for an actual kiss this time. Regina didn’t protest.

 

“Love you.”

 

Janis felt her heart speed up, still unused to hearing the words. She was so grateful for the work they both put in, for the time it took to get them there.

 

“Love you too.”

 

Regina smiled, pulling a handful of cookies from the box this time. “When are we gonna sync up already?” She sighed. “We’ve literally been together for two years, and it still hasn’t happened yet.”

 

“It’s probably better off.” Janis pulled her back in, sneaking her hand under Regina’s shirt and on top of her bare stomach. “Who else would brave finding Girl Scout Cookies all year round if I were suffering in bed next to you?”

 

Regina chewed for a second, allowing Janis to simply hold her. “Gretchen?”

 

Janis chuckled and shook her head, gently resting her head by Regina’s soulmate mark. “You really need to let that girl relax. Give her a paid vacation with Karen or something.”

 

“Well, she can definitely pay for it.”

 

Janis smiled, knowing the girl wasn’t being genuine. Her friendship with everyone had improved greatly in the last few years, especially with Gretchen. They were more prone to friendly banter than actual hurtful remarks now, and Janis knew Regina was secretly proud of the leaps and bounds they’d made.

 

That she made with everyone.

 

She was still herself, though, and Janis found herself not wanting that to change. Regina was still very much Regina George— she found her happy medium.

 

“Do you need anything else? Cookies are good?”

 

“Perfect, yeah.” Regina tightened her hold on Janis, and she grinned. Of course she meant more than just the cookies.

 

Janis turned her head, pressing a long kiss this time against Regina’s soulmate mark. Her own name stared back at her, the sight of it once against leaving her breathless.

 

To think, she was afraid of this. She was afraid of ever telling Regina. Afraid she wasn’t the one for her.

 

For once, she imagined what would’ve happened if Regina would’ve gotten her soulmate mark earlier. Before she started petty drama about her thirteenth birthday party— before she asked Janis in front of everyone if she was a lesbian. Before Janis left school for over a year.

 

And the thought was a good one. Maybe they could’ve spent the last seven years just like this, completely immersed with the other. Janis wouldn’t have been a victim to bullying, and Regina wouldn’t have been hit by a bus.

 

But those events— the struggles— they both went through were what made them who they were. Perhaps they could’ve gotten together earlier, but it might not have been the same. Even now, just having each other’s names on them didn’t mean they’d be together without the necessary work. They still needed to make the relationship last.

 

Janis looked up, meeting Regina’s gaze between the box and the cookies in her other hand. She was smiling down at her softly, and if she had a free hand, Janis suspected she would’ve let it rest in her hair.

 

“I really do love you.”

 

She blinked, Regina’s words causing a symphony to go off inside her chest. Janis heard her say it so often, even just a few minutes ago. She’d thought she’d eventually become desensitized to it, but it never failed to bring a smile to her face.

 

“You’ve mentioned that before, yeah.” She— regrettably— left Regina’s soulmate mark, pushed the box of thin mints out her grasp and onto the other side of Regina, practically straddling her.

 

“Hey!”

 

“Hi.” She kissed the tip of her nose and briefly wondered how many times she could kiss her in one sitting.

 

“You’re cleaning all of those up.”

 

“Of course,” she replied mockingly, and Regina’s eyes lit up challengingly. _Oh no_.

 

“You enjoying being on top?” She smugly smiled, placing her now free hands around Janis’s neck. “You don’t get to be there very often.”

 

Her cheeks reddened, the sight noticeably pleasing Regina. She rolled off her— not into the cookies— being met only with Regina’s laughter.

 

She wouldn’t trade this for anything in the world. Their personalities had always been a little similar, and their humor worked perfectly together. Regina’s teasing was practically a staple of their relationship, at this point.

 

Janis turned onto her side, Regina already facing her, new thin mint just passing between her lips. She took a moment to study her, lifting a hand up to her face. Scooting in closer, she kept her hand on her cheek, and rested her forehead against Regina’s. The girl stopped chewing, a smile still firmly on her lips.

 

“I really do love you, too.”

 

Regina, right there, made the next move— like she always did— and kissed her again. Like when she showed Janis her soulmate mark. When she asked her to be her girlfriend. When she asked her to room with her in college.

 

Janis allowed her to take control, simply enjoying her presence. She’d spent most of the day in classes while Regina stayed in bed. It wasn’t usual for them to go that long without at least meeting the other for lunch, but Regina’s cramps stood in the way of that. She dropped her hand back to her stomach, gently massaging the skin there, and Regina let out a soft little moan into her mouth. Janis grinned into the kiss, and Regina broke away.

 

“Shut up.”

 

She kept her hand in place, and Regina contently leaned back into her.

 

This was always the way they were supposed to be. The hoops they jumped through were necessary for it. They both grew from them.

 

“Thanks again for the cookies.” Regina spoke so softly that Janis had to strain to hear her. “You made my day.”

 

Janis smiled, heartbeat definitely on the rise again. “Don’t mention it.”

 

“You’re still cleaning up what you spilled.”

 

There she was. Regina George was still there, even in their softest of moments. It reminded her of who she was, who she used to be. But it wasn’t a negative thought. This was the girl who, thanks to their parents, she had infant pictures with. She’d known her forever, and maybe they hadn’t been close during all of that time— an understatement— but their paths were always meant to cross. They were always meant to spend their lives together.

 

The names under their rib cages only cemented that for her.

 

_This_ was her actual luck. Her soulmate wasn’t unrequited. It was the girl she grew up with, the one she’d built sandcastles with, the one who was there when her father left, the one whose handprint was immortalized in her driveway— and vice versa.

 

Three years ago, Janis would’ve said that soulmates meant nothing. Letters imprinted on skin at the age of thirteen meant nothing. They had no real control of your fate— of you who can be happy with. There were just too many known flaws in it, and you didn’t need to end up with that person. Maybe you’d never find them.

 

But Janis’s opinion changed. Regina changed it.

 

“Fine.”

 

Regina pulled her into an embrace, and Janis’s eyes closed, enjoying the side of her girlfriend that was never shown to anyone else.

 

This was all she really needed.

**Author's Note:**

> smash that kudos button and send prompts: kleksuh.tumblr.com


End file.
